Actually there are TWO circuses on their way to Birmingham – but there’s not a big top in sight.

These are circuses with a difference, offering entertainment for the 21st century. There may still be clowns and acrobats, but there are no performing animals – and they are staged in theatres.

The two acts are Cirque Berserk, playing Birmingham Rep from March 19 to 22, and Cirque Eloize’s Cirkopolis, at Birmingham Hippodrome from March 25 to 28.

Berserk offers thrills and stunts, including the Globe of Terror, while Eloize is a more gentle, artistic affair combining circus skills with music, dance and theatre.

Take a look at one of the Cirque Eloize acrobats doing their stuff while reading the Birmingham Mail!

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In Cirkopolis, 12 acrobats, jugglers, contortionists and aerial artists will, say the company, “transport performers and spectators between dream and reality in an uninterrupted stream of acrobatics, music, images and drawings to delight the eye”.

Cirque Eloize is a Canadian company based in Montreal which has been going since 1993 and has performed in 40 countries.

The international cast include Samuel Charlton from Newton Harcourt in Leicestershire, an acrobat specialising in hand to hand work.

He says: “I work with Reuben Hosler, who does handstands on my hands. I am the base artist who supports him, he does flips and I catch him.

“Cirkopolis is an extremely visual circus show with a heavy contemporary dance influence. It’s powerful, breathtaking work that will have the audience on the edge of their seats.”

That’s also what Cirque Berserk try to do with their dangerous stunts.

The centrepiece of their show is what used to be called the Globe of Death, now slightly downgraded to the Globe of Terror.

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Cirque Berserk is run by Martin Burton who also owns the more traditional Zippo’s Circus.

He says: “We renamed the Globe of Death because I don’t know anyone who has died doing it, though I’ve heard of broken limbs.

“It is very dangerous and sensational in a theatrical context. The globe forms part of the set, made of metal and scaffolding, at the back of the stage and then moves forward when needed.

“It’s a steel ball, two and a half metres in diameter, in which four motorcycles ride round and round and upside down, narrowly missing each other.

“They have to travel at 60mph to go upside down and it’s very, very tight. Their timing has to be perfect.

“Our team, from South America, are very good and probably the best of the bunch.

“It’s exciting without being deadly – nobody really wants to see that.

“In Berserk, all the acts have that aspect of thrill about them. Even the clown Tweedy, who is a pure comic genius, offers his own thrills. You are never sure if he’s a real idiot or can manage to survive himself.”

Cirque Berserk are coming to Birmingham.

So how does Berserk differ from Zippo’s Circus?

Martin says: “They are like chalk and cheese.

“Zippo’s is a traditional circus in a tent, using horses, birds and dogs with a ringmaster.

“Berserk is designed for theatres, using no animals, and is a thrill-based show.

“We have brought in a West End theatre crew of lighting and sound designers to ensure the full theatrical effect.

“The proscenium arch works wonderfully to concentrate the audience’s attention at what we are showing them. Everything is amplified.

“There will always be a place for traditional circuses but I honestly think that Cirque Berserk is the way people in the foreseeable future will see the circus.

“We took some inspiration from Cirque du Soleil, which is very balletic, arty and nice but after you’ve seen it for a bit you start to yawn.

“We’ve taken away the yawn factor to keep audiences on the edge of their seats for the entire show.

“We have moved away from our four-legged friends towards using chainsaws, motorbikes and machinery. We’ve become disconnected from animals as we’ve become urbanised so Cirque Berserk is an urban circus.”